File picture of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri
The controversy over organising Saraswati Puja at Jogesh Chandra Law College in Kolkata took a different turn on Sunday (February 2, 2025) as West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu faced protests by a group of students.
“I am here to talk to you. None will coerce you, terrorise you or threaten you. If anyone has issued any threat, we will take strong action against him,” the Education Minister said. The Minister assured students that nobody will coerce you, terrorise you or threaten you.
Following the controversy between two groups of students on college premises over organising the Puja, the Calcutta High Court on Friday asked the Kolkata Police to ensure that the ceremony can be held by law college students with adequate security.
The students who confronted the Minister said that outsiders led by a local Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) leader threatened them for organising Saraswati Puja on the institute campus.
Allegations have been raised against Sabir Ahmed, a local Trinamool student wing leader who refuted the allegations. “We are organising the Saraswati puja of the day section in the adjacent lane of the college. No threats have been issued against anyone. They cannot show any such video (of issuing threats),” the TMCP leader. Mr. Ali said that he was not an outsider and alumnus of the law college.
The State Education Minister was accompanied by Kolkata South MP Mala Roy who visited both the Puja Pandals which were organised in the college campus. “Saraswati Puja is not the occasion to shout slogans demanding justice,” the MP told students. Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that West Bengal is turning into Bangladesh as Saraswati Pujas are being organised under the watch of police.
Published – February 03, 2025 04:10 am IST
